Chapter 282: 寿……寿儿

"Which Daoist priest? Which one?"

In front of the mountain gate, a demoness in a long cyan dress stood quietly. Her long dark hair cascaded like a waterfall, and she exuded an aura of fragility from within. But as soon as she uttered that sentence, not only were the immortals of the Immortal Ascension Sect bewildered, even the 'demons with complex backgrounds' behind her pricked up their ears.

"What's going on? Something's wrong!"

As one of the parties involved, Li Changshou's thoughts raced. He immediately suspected, 'Could this demoness be under mind control?'

Li Changshou certainly wouldn't forget the incident with this fox demon. That time, Daoist Kuai Si plotted against his master, intentionally luring him to a large mortal city. When Li Changshou went in his master's stead, he caught this demon in that city. Afterwards, it was also discovered that this fox demon had sheltered 'Centipede Spirit,' an assassin bribed by Daoist Kuai Si – a fortunate coincidence.

Because the fox demon had accumulated merits, the Immortal Ascension Sect did not strike her down. Instead, they suppressed her underground in the barren mountains outside the mountain gate. Li Changshou quickly calculated and carefully recalled.

When he, disguised as his master, and Senior Uncle Jiuwu caught this demoness, she was a brothel madam. Holding a jade pipe, with a tall stature and seductive curves, she was clearly an outwardly domineering brothel madam. Subsequently, Li Changshou had several encounters with this demoness, and she revealed her treacherous and sinister demonic nature. When she was first captured, she even seized the opportunity to use charm magic against Senior Uncle Jiuwu, forcing Li Changshou to submit the old version of 'The Hundred Beauties Ageing' painting to the sect.

How did she become... like this today? Is she faking it? Does she want to escalate the situation?

Li Changshou hid in the crowd, carefully watching the fox demon. He soon realized that she was either an incredibly skilled actress, or she genuinely, for some reason... fell in love at first sight with Senior Uncle Jiuwu or the master he impersonated!

'How is this possible?'

The mountain gate was silent for a moment. Both inside and outside were caught in an awkward silence, with only the fox demon showing some urgency, seemingly unaware that anything was amiss with her words.

"What's going on?"

On the other side of the mountain gate, Jiu Shi, ranked fourth among the Nine Immortals of the 'Jiu' generation, suddenly spoke up. Instantly, gazes converged, first landing on the dignified, graceful, and beautiful Jiu Shi, then shifting downwards to the short Daoist priest, five and a half feet tall, standing next to her... A group of Immortal Ascension Sect immortals suddenly looked enlightened.

"So that's what happened..."

Murderous intent!

Jiuwu subconsciously shivered, frantically slapped his thigh, and hurriedly said: "It's not like that! It's not like that! I have no connection with this demoness. It was indeed my Junior Brother Qiyuan and I who caught her back then, because she was allowing demons to do evil in the large cities of the Southern Continent. But after catching her, we suppressed her underground. I only went once or twice to check on her condition, and barely exchanged a few words! Several elders, even the elders from the Hall of Rewards and Punishments, can testify!"

Hearing Jiuwu's shouts, several white-haired old men nearby simultaneously clasped their hands behind their backs and looked up at the sky, maintaining an air of nonchalance. Jiu Shi bit her lip lightly. But with so many people present, she considered her Daoist partner's reputation and refrained from losing her temper.

Just then, the fox demon spoke again, murmuring: "Qiyuan... May I see Daoist Qiyuan again? I have something I wish to say to him."

Jiuwu immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He almost kowtowed to this 'fox demon grandma' on the spot, thanking her for sparing his life. The Immortal Ascension Sect immortals, who had originally wanted to watch the show, now looked at each other in bewilderment. If the fox demon had taken a fancy to Jiuwu, the sect's steward, that would have been understandable; it could somewhat be explained. Jiuwu's master was a Golden Immortal, and Jiuwu himself was almost certain to achieve Heavenly Immortal status. He was capable and skilled at social interactions, and if one slightly overlooked his age, he was also a handsome youth. As for his height, it could be described as 'unique.'

But Qiyuan, the only 'Turbid Immortal' within the Immortal Ascension Sect... This doesn't align with the Human Dao, clearly it doesn't!

"Is Junior Brother Qiyuan really that charming?""Remarkable, simply remarkable.""Should we call Nephew Qiyuan over?"

Many Immortal Ascension Sect immortals spoke up one after another, most of them finding the situation quite novel. Jiuwu, however, quickly looked at Li Changshou. The senior uncle and junior nephew exchanged glances, communicating through their eyes.

*Beep beep—'Changshou, what have you done!'*

*Click click—'It should be what my master has done...'*

*Beep beep beep beep beep—'Do you really think your Senior Uncle is that stupid? Weren't you impersonating your master that day? You better watch out; my tenth junior sister has been living on your Little Qiong Peak since she joined the sect!'*

Li Changshou immediately felt a headache. He could only give Jiuwu a helpless look, signaling him to calm down. Now, there was only one option: delay. Whatever this demoness's purpose was, he could not let the situation escalate unchecked.

"Cough!"

Li Changshou cleared his throat, rose half a foot above the crowd, gave an awkward smile towards outside the mountain gate, and said: "This... senior, my master is currently in secluded cultivation. Perhaps you could return with your kin first, and we can discuss this matter after my master emerges from seclusion?"

The demoness blinked gently, and immediately revealed a... a gentle, loving smile. "Are you his disciple?"

An elder from the sect immediately introduced, "This is Li Changshou, a disciple of our Immortal Ascension Sect. He is Nephew Qiyuan's senior disciple."

The demoness stepped half a pace forward and happily said, "Then, may I call you Shou'er? Your master's disciples are truly extraordinary."

Li Changshou's forehead instantly beaded with cold sweat. He withdrew his right hand into his sleeve, grasping a carving knife! "Calculate! Calculate immediately!" How much karma would he have to bear if he were to eliminate these demons on the spot!

At this moment, among the Heavenly Immortal realm demons behind this demoness, one woman finally stepped forward and hurriedly asked: "Xiaolan, what's wrong with you? Have these Human Daoists cast some spell on you?"

"How dare you!" A short-tempered Immortal Ascension Sect elder raised his eyebrows and glared, reprimanding, "Our Immortal Ascension Sect is a lineage of the Human Dao, transmitting the Great Dao of Taiging's non-action. How could we resort to such trickery? If she hadn't been protected by merits that day, which must mean her ancestors had shown kindness to our human race, how could this humble Daoist have allowed her to wreak havoc in the mortal world!"

"Nonsense," a demon man said coldly. "You clearly saw that my little sister was protected by merits; slaying her would only increase your karma! Yet you speak so grandiosely! Human Qi Refiners truly dare to do anything for the sake of their reputation!"

Elder Wan Linjun slowly walked forward, leaning on his copper-skinned staff. The two Immortal Ascension Sect elders in front of him immediately moved aside. The old man, leaning on his staff, took two steps into the air, moving past the mountain gate. His listless eyes swept over the group, and he said calmly: "I'll do the slaying."

In an instant, the demons reacted as if facing a great enemy, hiding the demoness 'Xiaolan' behind them, and watching Wan Linjun with full vigilance. The pair of demon male and female with slightly weaker cultivation trembled continuously! On the wooden boat in the distance, figures soared into the sky one after another. The oppressive aura of a Golden Immortal realm great demon swept across the sky, bearing down on the Immortal Ascension Sect. But this oppressive aura was somewhat mottled, clearly indicating that its Dao Realm was not pure enough. The oppressive aura of the three Golden Immortal masters within the Immortal Ascension Sect erupted in response, pressing back against the group of demons.

A male demon shouted, "Quickly go invite our ancestor!"

The situation instantly took a turn for the worse. The immortals of the Immortal Ascension Sect gathered at the mountain gate were all ready to launch an attack! Strike first to gain the advantage, strike second and be eliminated!

Li Changshou, standing by, frowned slightly. If they were to fight like this, it would truly be disadvantageous to the Immortal Ascension Sect... He was about to transmit a message to Elder Wan Linjun to dissuade him, but before he could speak, the fox demon 'Xiaolan,' who had just been released, suddenly let out a somewhat shrill cry: "No, don't!"

This cry, like a cuckoo's bloody call, caused both sides, who had already taken their stances and were flexing their muscles, to immediately halt their movements! The fox maiden sighed softly. Under the protection of her kin, her slender, beautiful legs bent, and she knelt directly in the air, kowtowing towards the Immortal Ascension Sect.

"This matter began because of me. I secretly left our tribal land, lingered in the mortal world, and condoned several spirits attached to me to cause harm. I am willing to endure another three hundred years of imprisonment by the Immortal Ascension Sect. But, may I just see him once... I have already been afflicted by an obsession and a haze over him. In this life, I have no other wish than to remain with him in loving devotion, even our bones in the same grave. I am willing to make a Great Dao oath, to prove my intention to form a bond of destiny."

Her words... If heard by the Chan Sect lineage, a group of old Daoists would surely cry out, 'Demon, die!' If heard by the Jie Sect lineage, she would probably be pulled in to join by a group of men and women. But today, it was heard by the Human Dao lineage... The Human Dao lineage was famously full of Daoist partners!

The humility and infatuation in the fox demon's words moved half of the Immortal Ascension Sect immortals present. Jiuwu pondered for a few moments, then stepped forward at the crucial moment and asked: "You and my Junior Brother Qiyuan have only met a few times; how could you have such an obsession? If you cannot explain why, I will certainly not let you see my Junior Brother Qiyuan today."

This question also hit the crucial point, and the arriving demons also hurriedly asked a few questions. At this moment, the fox maiden sighed lightly, sat down in the air, and murmured with dull eyes: "That day, I was captured by this Daoist and Daoist Qiyuan. I seized the opportunity and used my clan's innate charm magic to plot against them. This speaking Daoist made a fool of himself, but Daoist Qiyuan was unmoved, and merely used a painting to dispel my charm magic..."

As the fox maiden spoke of the past, the surroundings became quiet, and only her slow narration could be heard.

Beside Jiuwu, a slender hand subtly reached out, grabbed his ear, and tugged hard. "Hiss—" Tears welled up in the short Daoist's eyes. Then Jiu Shi's voice transmission scolded, "Hmph! Utterly disgraceful! You'll explain this to me when we get back!" Jiuwu was utterly embarrassed and repeatedly cupped his hands in apology.

Then the fox maiden's words gradually shifted... "After they imprisoned me underground, I still harbored resentment towards Daoist Qiyuan in my heart. After an unknown period, he suddenly appeared to see me and made me swear an oath not to seek revenge against anyone in the Immortal Ascension Sect because of this matter. Of course, I agreed at the time, but I was also indignant, so I fully unleashed my charm magic on him. But all I got in return was a slightly ironic smile. It was that smile that sparked a defiant thought in my heart, and thereafter, I diligently cultivated my divine abilities. I was determined to make this man bow before me! That's what I thought at the time."

In the crowd, Li Changshou, who had subtly retreated to a corner, also secretly nodded at this moment. This was indeed something he had done.

A female immortal inside the mountain gate couldn't help but ask, "What happened next?"

"Later..." The fox maiden smiled bitterly and continued to narrate slowly. "Just as my divine ability made further progress, he soon appeared before me again, right there in the dark underground prison, with several layers of restrictions between us. He smiled at me then. I remember it very clearly; that smile was both relaxed and contented. He asked me if I could use my charm magic divine ability to test whether his Dao heart was firm at that moment. I secretly thought it was absurd, but I seized the opportunity to strike, fully activating my divine ability to bewitch his mind. But he, he!"

A demoness was greatly alarmed and hurriedly asked, "Did he perhaps go wild like a beast!?"

The fox maiden smiled foolishly, "He actually took out a scroll outside the cage and kept writing and drawing. He even gave me a few pointers on my charm magic. The way he looked when he lowered his head to write—I haven't forgotten an inch of it to this day... I thought then, how could there be such a man in the world who had not the slightest lustful thought towards me."

Li Changshou in the corner: ...

Yes, he really did have lustful thoughts at the time. It's just that his 'Hundred Beauties Ageing' series of paintings were more powerful. What the fox maiden described all happened during the period he was refining the 'Heart-Fire Burn' poison. Li Changshou had considered all situations thoroughly at the time, but he truly didn't expect that the fox demon herself had gone awry...

What to do? Eliminate her, that's the only option, right? At that time, to research the 'Heart-Fire Burn' immortal soul poison pill, he had, with his master's permission, used his master's image to visit this fox demon. He went several times over those few months, and hadn't noticed anything unusual about her...

"I was really foolish, truly."

In the fox maiden Lan'er's somewhat vacant eyes, a faint starlight now gleamed... "Now I only feel that those few times I met him were the most beautiful years of my life. But at the time, I always felt a bit defiant and unwilling to accept defeat. Every time I used my charm magic against him with all my might, I never revealed my true feelings to him. And after that, he never came to see me again. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was his back as he left for the last time. Year after year, unconsciously, his image alone filled my heart, with no room for anyone or anything else... Now, I am out."

The fox maiden Lan'er slowly stood up, walked past her kin. Her voice was soft, but her gaze was incredibly firm: "According to my clan's rules, if my heart belongs to someone, no one will stop me from leaving. Today, I stand before the Immortal Ascension Sect, only asking to see him one more time. Even if he kills me with a single sword, I will not harbor the slightest resentment. I only wish he would leave me a wisp of my soul, so I can beg the Netherworld officials on my reincarnation path to let me reincarnate as a woman Daoist Qiyuan would like."

"Good!" A demon old woman who had arrived at some unknown time heard her words and let out a soft cry, couldn't help but wipe away tears, and declared, "Our Qingqiu Fox Clan, according to our clan rules, fully supports Xiaolan in finding her destined partner! Destiny's bond is inherently priceless; why forcibly separate fated lovers?! Immortal Ascension Sect, listen well! Xiaolan's grandmother's third aunt is a High Immortal serving the Sage Lord in the Wa Royal Palace. Our Xiaolan's background is no less distinguished than that of your Immortal Ascension Sect's disciples. Whether he agrees or not, let him appear first and give a clear answer!"

Therefore, Li Changshou silently put away his carving knife. Outside the mountain gate, a group of demon men and women gathered, each standing behind the fox maiden Xiaolan, united in effort and vigorously supporting her!

The immortals of the Immortal Ascension Sect were momentarily baffled. Having lived for so many years, it was the first time these immortals had to deal with such a situation... Fight and kill? It seemed they dared not act. The Qingqiu clan also had a good reputation in the Great Wilderness, and at this moment, the fox maiden was so infatuated, her only request being to see Qiyuan once. Or, should they let them meet? But then they felt as if their Immortal Ascension Sect was bowing to the demons. They were originally hostile to demons, and although the Qingqiu clan had a complex background and merits protecting them, their foundation was certainly not entirely clean.

"What, your Qingqiu clan, still dare to snatch someone from our Immortal Ascension Sect?"

Another cold laugh was heard as a graceful figure flew out from within the Immortal Ascension Sect, landing directly outside the mountain gate. She wore a light blue silk dress, her long hair cascading smoothly, whether in front or behind her. Naturally, this was Little Qiong Peak's Ancestral Master, Jiang Lin'er.

Jiang Lin'er had been listening with her spiritual sense for a long time. She couldn't help but actively step out, walked up to the fox maiden with her hands behind her back, and, in front of many demons, circled the fox maiden twice... "Tsk tsk, nice figure, huh... Whoa, quite alluring, though not as much as my Xiao Jiu. You're called Xiaolan? What's your full name?"

The fox maiden frowned slightly and whispered, "You are..."

"Linjiang Sanren, Jiang Lin'er!" Jiang Lin'er patted her chest with a resounding thud, "My husband is a Golden Immortal of this sect, and my grand-disciple has extraordinary abilities, but none of that matters. Tsk tsk, I am the master of Daoist Qiyuan, whom you are looking for. When he was little, I raised him, *ptui*, I nurtured him from infancy. How about that?"

The fox maiden blinked, and immediately bowed down, "Lan'er greets Master."

"Don't bow so hastily," Jiang Lin'er chuckled softly. Her gaze swept across the crowd, only seeing the Daoist headband on Li Changshou's head. "This matter, I presume, involves some misunderstanding. How about this, you come with me to Little Qiong Peak, and I'll clarify things for you, what do you say?"

"Lan'er will do as Master decides!" The fox maiden immediately became excited, her voice growing even softer.